Just got back from watching Hugo; what an great movie. I highly recommend everyone check it out. It’s a G rated movie, but that’s only because it doesn’t take anything more “adult” to tell this amazing story. I’m sure I found it just as magical as any ten year old would. It’s the story of an orphaned child, Hugo, who lives in a Paris train station. His father, a clocksmith, left behind a broken automaton which Hugo believes hides a message from his father, but the mystery goes back much farther.
What makes this movie really great, especially for children, is it incorporates the history of film including clips from movies like, Le Voyage Dans La Lune, for example. Hugo, the movie, shows you why these old films are still relevant today, even in contrast to the high tech effects that surrounds them throughout. Hugo has as much imagination and charm as these vintage films from the very beginning of the medium.
I saw it in 3D, and while I wouldn’t say it’s mandatory to get the full effect, I do think it added a bit of magic to the viewing. There’s a lot of vintage film footage added in and it’s all been remastered (or maybe even remade in some cases) to showcase the 3D effects. I personally enjoy 3D movies, though I know many people prefer 2D, or are unable to watch in 3D. Either way, I do recommend you try for the theatrical experience with this movie. If you have kids this is a solid choice since it’s one that the parents will enjoy just as much as the kids.